I found this version of the recurrent favorite, “Jamaican Jerk Chicken,” on the wonderful recipe site, GroupRecipes.com. Yes, this great chicken recipe has a bit of a kick to it, but it’s not so hot that you’ll want to reach for the fire hose to quench the flames spewing from your innards. I’ve never been a fan of any dish that is so spicy that the flavor of the featured ingredient, whether it is chicken or beef or whatever, is completely lost within the overwhelming heat of the other ingredients.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken
For this recipe, the chicken pieces are marinated in a tasty mixture of dark rum, malt vinegar, garlic, thyme, ground allspice, ground nutmeg, salt, black pepper, and brown sugar. The recipe also calls for green onions, scotch bonnet chilies, and vegetable oil to be included in the marinade, but I substituted one yellow onion for the ten green onions, jalapeno chilies for the scotch bonnet, and olive oil for the vegetable oil. I’m sure the heat level was reduced because of the substitution of jalapeno chilies for the scotch bonnet, which are among the hottest chilies available.
The recipe also called for the chicken to be baked, but I grilled it instead. When I prepare it again during the winter months, I’ll try it in the oven as suggested, but as usual, I like to take advantage of outdoor grilling whenever possible, and this recipe worked quite nicely on the grill.
When the chicken is ready to eat, it is served with a sauce made with ketchup, soy sauce, and two tablespoons of the jerk seasoning (the marinade). It is very important to reserve the proper amount of jerk seasoning required for the sauce prior to marinating the chicken; otherwise you risk exposure to food borne illness if you use the seasoning after it has had contact with the raw chicken.
I served this flavorful chicken dish with a simple garden salad and grilled sweet corn. I often have leftovers when I have guests for dinner because I tend to make too much of everything, but not this time. Every scrap of food was wiped out. I guess that means they liked it. I’m sure you will, too.
